gruss



G. H. GRUSS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 20, I99- 1,387,706. Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. H. GRUSS.

SHOCK ABSOBBER.

APPLlcAloN man ocr 2o. 1919.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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INVENToR.

GEORGE H. @RUSS BY www M a ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE II. GRUss, or kSAN FRANCISCO, CALIroRNIA, AssIGNOR, RY DIRECT AAND MRSNR ASSIGNMENTS, or ONE-FOURTH 'ro I.. R. BEDFORD AND oNRfroURTH To GACHOT THERKELSEN, BOTH 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Application led October 20, 1919. Serial No. 331,907.

10 all whom it may conce-m Be it known that I, Gnonon H. Gauss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Shock-Absorber, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices interposed between the load-bearing wheels and the body of a vehicle for absorbing vvibrations and shocks.

An objectk of the invention vis to provide a shock absorber in which improved means are provided for returning to the compression chamber the sealing fluid which is gradually forced out of the compression chamber during the operation of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shock absorber in which the means for returning the sealing fluid to the compression chamber operates during the period of lowering pressure in the chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shock absorber in which leakage past the piston rod is reduced to a minimum.

The invention possesses other features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

y Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the axis of the device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken in a plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken in a lane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

ig. 4 is an elevation of the lower end of the compression chamber cylinder before assembly. Fig. 5-is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale of a portion of the device, the piston being shown in a somewhat lower position than in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively an elevation and bottom View of the washer surrounding the pump plunger.

The shock absorber of my invention comprises a base block 12 formed with an aperture in which the piston rod 13 forms a. sliding t. A compression chamber cylinder or casing 14 is mounted upon the base and locked in permanent engagementtherewith by the split clamp ring 15, throuO'h the lugs of which, bolts 16 are passed. Ibn order to ing and base one en d of the casing which conveniently is a piece of steel tubing is reduced in outside diameter, the upper part 17, Fig. 4 being cylindrical, but the lower part 1S being flared or tapered outwardly a small amount, and longitudinal slots'19k be-y cylindrical portion 17y of the casing, and` where the casing is assembled upon the base and the clamp ring tightened about them, the tapered split ends 18 of the casing are forced inwardly into tight engagement with the tapered portion 22 of the base, the outer surface of the reduced portion of the casing being then cylindrical and engaged over its entire length with the clamp wall. f' The taper on the casing end is thus complemented by the taper on the base, and the two are held in rigid locked engagement by the clamp. In addition to its function of holding the casing in locked engagement with the base, the clamp provides means for mounting the device. A bracket 21 secured rigidly to the end 2.6 of the vehicle frame is attached to the clamp by screws 27. A yoke 28 on the lower end of the rod 13 is connected by pin 29 to the end of the lcaf spring 31.

The upper end of the casing 14 is closed by a cap 32 brazed thereon, a recess 33 being formed above the joint for the retention of a quantity of sealing fluid in case of an iniperfect joint which would otherwise permit the leakage of air from the compression Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted Aug, 1.6-9 1921,

,eo lsecure a locked engagement between the 'cas- 1 chamber. A drain and filling,- plug 34 is arranged in the cap, which is also providerfl with a valve 36 of known type tor perniitting air under pressure to be introduced into the compression chamber.

The upper end of the piston red 13 duced in diameter to provide a stud 38 upon which the piston head is held by the nut 39. The'piston head is formed o'f three disk.1 lll, 42 and 43, the first two oi' which forni a slid ing fit with the casing. Between the disks il and 42, a leather cup d is disposed, th sides of the cup lying,` contiguous to the wall of the casing, and extending` upwardly in an annular recess formed in the periphery oi the disk 42. In order to retain the edge of the cup in snug engagement with the casing wall, a circular round wire spring is disposed around the disk and against the inner upper edge oi? the cup, which is prelierably beveled slightly. rilhis construction hasrbeen found to give the best results in the matter of' leakage past the cup. Between the disks l2 and 3, a second cup if? is disposed. rEhe beveled upper edge of this cup is also resiliently held against the casing wall by the spring d8, seated in an annu" recess in the disk l2-3. rlhus the sharpened upper edges of the two cups are resilient@y ined against the casing wall, and with th i -troduction oi' a quantity ot sealingv liquid d), preferably a heavy7 oil., above the pistou, the air above the oil is effectively retained and the leakage of the oil past the piston head is reduced to a ininiinurn.

Means are provided Vlor collecting oil whicl leaks past the piston and returning it to t.. compression chamber during the period uli-e..- the pressure in the compression chamber is falling, or at the rniuiinrun. lhe bas.; 'i2 is formed with a well 51 wh h entends annularly for about three quarters oi" the disthe solid portion or web 52 which .separatesv the ends ot the well,y is iorined a cyl bore 53 in which a plunger rod 541 is H to reciprocate, Preferably the lower end oi the plunger rod is tapered and the upper end is provided with aiiange seated in the annular groove 57 formed in the under sur face ot the disk lll. The retained in the groove by an annular collar 58 disposed between the disk 4l and the shoulder 59 on the rod .13, the collar projecting over the edge of the groove and under the flange 56. Thus the plunger rod is securely held to the piston head, the downward pressure of the head being exerted on the entire surface of the flanged end of the plunger rod, and at the saine time rotary inoveinent oi the piston and piston rod is permitted relative to the base'bloek and casing, such inoveinent occurring duringl the functioning or the apparatus. This construction is also found to nsemros 'facilitate the easy asseniblinp;- of' the parts oi the device. ,Slt the bottoni oi the bore, a transverse passage 6l opening' into the well 5l is arranged, and is controlled Yby the spring-pressed ball 62, which iforrns a. check vali v. .fr second transverse passage. 6B opens out el' the passage (il and entance to this passage is controlled by the spring-pressed ball or check valve The last named passage is placed in connnunication with the compression chamber by conductor @n the upward stroke et the piston due to the down iard movement of the vehicle, any oil in the well is drawn past the check valve 62 into the transverse passage 6l and bore @n the downward stroke ot the piston such oil is forced past the check valve @fr into the 63 and coiuluctor GG ern which it flows back into the compression chamber. Tt should be noted inn' the downward strrnre of the piston ead, during which the pressure in the con 'fn chaniber is lesseninn towrrd the un. Vfhis no inconsiderable advanibutes to the resiliency and Censitiveness ci the device. Sometimes when i little eil in the well. more or less air s s drawn into the bore ouinped into the coinjrnession chamber but Y s up vardly past the plunger rod, escaping1 back into the well chamber. lfilith this air is carried a certain dnnntity ot finely 'livided oil which it is not desired shall be prayed into the snare below the piston head. To avoid this, l nace a condensinp` ring G7, shown in 6 and I loosely about the iilui'iger rod in recess titl formed in the top of the web 52. The air carrying the linely divided oil. and coming up around the pliu'w'er rod under seine pressure cpands on eiuerp, into the recess GF; and sprays the oil over the in ier surface olI the ring. rilhc oil here con. enses coalesees, running` throunh the slots ('39 into the recess 68 and through the grooves 7l back into the well.

leans are provided tor creating; a partial vaciuini under the piston head on its upward stroke7 as a v,further a id in checking the downuf'ard rnovcnient oi the vehicle; and 'for creating, an air cushi .i under the piston head to prevent poundiniy on its downward stroke. il. hole 72 is iorined longi idinallv oit the piston rod i3. the end or the hole being' closed by the tapered plug 7d. Aidoles T6 then formed transversely through the rod A seine distance below the piston head., and

that this action occurs- This is not.

mospheric air entering but slowly through the passages, until the holes 77 are covered. From this point on the partial vacuum in the chamber rises in degree, supplementing the air pressure in the compression chamber in checking the downward movement of the car.

Movement of the piston downwardly in the casing compresses the air in the chamber below the piston, the pressure being slowly relieved by escape of the'coniined air through the passages, until the holes 76 are covered. The remaining air in thechamber is then trapped and with further lowering of the piston, it is heavily compressed and acts as a cushion or snubber to control the further upward movement of the car, thus making the use of separate snubbing devices unnecessary.

The piston rod is lubricated by the sealing oil and some of this gradually works down toward the yoke 29. In order to prevent dust adhering to the exposed end of the rod working upwardly into the device on the rod, a packing ring 78 is disposed in an annular groove adjacent the lower end of the base block.

I claim:

l. In a shock absorber, a base block having a tapered end, a tube having a tapered end complementary to and adapted to inclose the tapered end of the base, and a clamp ring for locking the tapered ends together.

2. In a shock absorber, a base block having a tapered end, a tube having a tapered end complementary to and adapted to inclose the tapered end of the base, a clamp ring for locking the tapered ends together, and means for mounting the shock absorber attached to said clamp ring.

3. In a shock absorber, abase block having a portion tapered inwardly from a cylindrical end, a tube adapted to fit over the cylindrical end and tapered portion of said base and having that part opposite the tapered portion of the base tapered outwardly, and a clamp ring adapted to inclose the tube to compress the outwardly tapered end thereof into locked engagement with the inwardly tapered portion of the base.

1l. In a shock absorber, a base block having a portion tapered inwardly from a cylindrical end, a tube adapted to fit over the cylindrical end and tapered portion of said base and having that part opposite the tapered portion of the base tapered outwardly and provided with slots longitudinally of the tube, both tapers being in the same degree, and a clamp ring formed with a cylindrical bore therein adapted to inclose the tube to compress the outwardly tapered split ends thereof into locked engagement with the inwardly tapered portion of the base.

5. In a shock absorber, a base block having a portion tapered inwardly from a cylindrical end, a tube adapted to t over the cylindrical end and tapered portion of said base and having that part opposite the tapered portion ot' the base tapered outwardly and provided with slots longitudinally oi' the tube, both tapers being in the saine degree, a clamp ring formed with a cylindrical bore therein adapted to inclose the tube to compress the outwardly tapered split ends thereof into locked engagement with the inwardly tapered portion of the base, and means for tightening the clamp ring and attaching it to the frame of the vehicle on which the said shock absorber is used.

6. In a shock absorber, a casing forming a compression chamber, a piston slidably arranged in said casing, a sealing liquid disposed in said chamber above said piston, and means for introducing into said compression chamber during the period of lowering pressure therein the sealing liquid which leaks past said piston.

7. In a shock absorber,acasing forming a compression chamber, a piston slidably arranged in said casing, a sealing liquid disposed in said chamber above said piston, means for collecting the sealing liquid leaking past said piston, and means operative during the period of lowering pressure in the compression chamber for reintroducing the collected liquid into the compression chamber.

8. In a shock absorber,acasing forming a compression chamber, a piston slidably arranged in said casing, a sealing liquid disposed in said chamber above said piston, means for collecting the sealing liquid leak ing past said piston, means operative during the period of lowering pressure in the compression chamber ior reintroducing the collected liquid into the compression chamber, and means for preventing the introduction oi' air into said compression chamber with said collected liquid.

9. In a shock absorber, a base, a casing forming a compression chamber secured to said base, a piston rod slidably arranged in said base, a piston on said rod in said casing, a sealing liquid disposed in said chamber above said piston, a well in said base for collecting sealing liquid leaking past said piston, a bore in said base, a plunger rod secured to said piston disposed in said bore, passages connecting said bore to said well and to said compression chamber, and check valves disposed in said passages whereby movement of the piston to augment the pressure in said compression chamber moves said plunger rod to draw collected sealing liquid into said bore and recovery movement of the piston moves said plunger rod to force the liquid in the bore into the compression chamber.

10. In a shock absorber, a base, a casing forming a compression chamber secured to said base, a piston rod slidably arranged in said base, a piston on said rod in said easing9 a sealingliquid disposed in said elianiber above said piston, a Well in said base for collecting` sealing liquid leaking past said piston, a bore in said base, a plunger rod secured to said piston disposed in said bore, passages connecting said bore to said Well and to said Compression chambera elieelr valves disposed in said passages whereby movement of tbe piston to augment tlie pressure in said compression Chamber moves said. plunger rod to draw collected sealing liquid into said bore and recovery movement of the piston moves said plunger rod to force tlie liquid in the bore into 'the @onipression chamber, and means 'for permitt' in# air drawn into the bore to escape there ll. In a shock absorber, a base, a easing forming a Compression Chamber secured to said base, a piston rod slid-ably arranged in said base, a piston on said rod in said easing, a sealing liquid disposed in said chamber above said piston, a Well in said base Vior Collecting sealing liquid leaking past said piston, a bore in said base, a plunger rod disposed in said bore, means 'for mounting seid plunger rod for longitudinal movement with said piston rod and permitting1 rotary movement of the piston rod relative thereto7 and valve-controlled passages eoinieeting said bore to said Well and to said Compression Chamber.

1Q. in shock absorber9 bese a easing` n a compression chamber secured to L be `e, a piston rod slidably arranged in said basee a piston on said rod in said easing, sealing` liquid disposed. in seid chamber above seid pistonj and passages in said piston iod for placing tlie elianil'er below said piston in communication with toe atmosphere during the normal movement of the piston short of its Xtreme positions.

a slioel: absoii'ber7 :i basey e easing1 a compression el amber secured to l se, ay piston rod slidably arranged in l base, a piston on said rod in said easing, a ealing liquid disposed in seid eliamber above said piston, and passages in said piston rod for placing the chamber belenT said piston in communication with d ne atmosphere, said passages beingeovered by said base during` movement of tlie piston adjacent either of its extreme positions.

ln testimony vvliereoii., l bave hereunto set my liand at @an Francisco, California? this 10th datT oi' October7 i919.

ll. G RUSS.

ln presence of- C. S. Evi-ms. 

